1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to photographic apparatus and, more particularly, to an improved cocking mechanism for moving a piezoelectric firing spring to a latched position in such apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of a piezoelectric crystal to power a flash unit in photographic apparatus is known. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,856,564; 2,972,937 and 3,106,080. Recently, apparatus has been developed in which a plurality of flashlamps, each fireable by means of an electric pulse generated by a piezoelectric crystal, are assembled in a multilamp array. In one such array, as disclosed in more detail in copending U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 528,529, all of the lamps are aligned in the same direction and each lamp has its own reflector. A switching mechanism is provided, internal to the array, for properly sequencing firing of the individual lamps. In photographic apparatus adapted to utilize such an array, a piezoelectric crystal striking mechanism must be provided, including a firing spring with an associated hammer, movable from a latched position to strike the piezoelectric crystal and thereby generate an electric pulse. In addition, a cocking mechanism must be provided for moving the firing spring to its latched position subsequent to each actuation.